Milking machinery



Filed Dec. 29. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. W. FUGE MILKING MACHINERY Filed Deo. 29. 1922 2 Shams-Sheet 2 E@ e n far."

vvidual cows Patented Dee. 25, i923.

- `'lXILF'RED FUGE, OF FEATHERSTON, NEW Z il 7'* pplieation filed December 29, 1922. Serial No. 609,700.

To all 'wlwm it may concern:

Beit known' that I, JAMES WILFRED FUGE, subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Kahautara Road, Featherston, New Zealand, have invented new and useful Milking Machinery, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improved apparatus that has been devised for use in conjunction with milking machine installations to provide for the milk given by the indiremoved for testing purposes. The invention relates particularly to that class of apv pliance which in working is designed to receive the milk and to discharge it, after it has had the hand strippings added, into a iiuming or other conduit by means of which it is conveyed to the milk cans.

rlhe invention has been devised in order to provide improvements in the means whereby such a system may be operated', and is intended to permit of two receiving chambers being used in alternation to receive the milk from dierent cows, so that in the operatiomof the apparatus a cow may be milked intfoiy the one can, a second cow then connected up to the second can, and while the milking thereof is being carried on, the hand strippings -from the first cow taken and introduced into the first can, the total amount of milk measured, a quantity withdrawn as a testing sample, and, finally, the whole then discharged into the iuming. The operations controlling the milking into the can and its discharge therefrom are designed to be carried out by the operation of a sin le valve apparatus of special form which wi l control the connections between the respective cans and the vacuum source, and with the teat cups and also between the cans and air by the different movements of the apparatus.

The invention consists in the combination with a pair of cans each made airtight and having a gauge glass attachment, and each provided with a selic opening gravity controlled discharge, of special valve apparatus whereby weither can, may by the operation of the valve, be connected with'a vacuum source and with the teat cups of a set, while the other can is connected with the atmosphere and shut olf from the vacuum, or whereby both cans may be connected with the vacuum source and cut off from air and the teat cups.

being measured and a sampley The means for carrying out the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be hereinafter fully described in relation to such drawings.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation, and

Figure 2 a plan of the complete apparatus as set up for work.

Figure 3 is a sectional side elevation of the discharge outlet from each can.

Figure 4 is a face view thereof with the spout removed. Y

Figure 5 is a back elevation of the spout.

Figure 6 is a front elevation of the control valve apparatus, on an enlarged scale.

Figure 7 is a side elevation,

Figure 8 is a back elevation, and

Figure 9 is a sectional side elevation, thereof.

Figure 10 is a front face view of one of the two members of such valve apparatus.

Figure 11 is a rear face view of the other member thereof.

In carrying out the invention two cans A-B of the necessary capacity and disposed vertically parallel to one another, are ar ranged a suitable height above the milking ioor, as for instance by being hooked by hooks a over a horizontal bar A'. Each can is formed with a discharge opening C in the front at its bottom, and this opening is controlled by a gravity flap valve C that operates in the well known way to keep the opening closed while vacuum conditions prevail in the can, and to allow of the Hap C swinging out with the weight of milk in the can when the vacuum conditions are destroyed. The iap valve' is covered by a downwardly extending spout C2 that is attached to the can by interlocking iiange joints, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, so that it may be removed whenever required. Each can also is provided with a removable top cover D making an airtight seal thereon so that facility is afforded for cleaning it out when required. ln addition, each can is provided with a gauge glass E to indicate the measure or weight of the milk taken infn `the can at each milking.

The valve apparatus shown in detail in Figures 6 to 11 and in itsy working position in Figures 1 and 2, is arranged between the two cans A and B and is suitably retained in position. llt comprises a vertically disposed base plate F having a passage F ex-V imA tending up its back surface from the centre to near the top and then opening through to the front of the base plate by a central port 2 of three concentrically disposed ports 1, 2 and 3 (Figure 10). `The said passage F at its lower end receives a pipe G that extends rearwards and is connected to the vacuum main of the milking system so that the port 2 is in direct communication at all times with such main. This pipe may also be used as the support for the valve apparatus by carrying it through the beam A on to which the cans are hung.

The respective ports 1 and 2 open into nipples H and H extending real-wards from the base plate F and these nipples are then connected to the respective cans A and B by rubber tubes k and la. connecting with fittings a and b openingr through the respective can covers.

The base plate is also formed with a port 4 disposed vertically and diame'trically opposite the port 2. This port 4 opens rearrwards into -a nipple connection .l that eX- tends downwards from the bottom of the plate and receives the end of the ordinary rubber milking tube connection J with the teat cups.

Combined with the base plate is a valve plate K that is mounted face to face upon the base plate, being journalled to rotate on a screw pin M projecting forwardly from the centre of the base plate and being kept in close facial contact with the base plate bv means of the spring M', surrounding the pin, and the thumb nut M2 screwed on its outer end to compress such spring. The valve plate is formed with a radially extending handle K for operating it by turning on the central pin M.

The valve plate is formed, on its inner face, with a groove N (Figure 1l) that extends across the upper portion thereof in a line concentric with the ports 1, 2 and 3 of the base plate, and made of suilicient length to extend across all of such ports at the one time` when the valve plate is in the central position with the handle K entend-` ing vertically as shown in Figure 1. It is also formed near its lower edge with two grooves O and P positioned on the respective sides of its central vertical line in a curved line concentric and adapted to register with the port'4 of the base plate and disposed a distance apart such as to leave a solid part of the plate to cover the port 4 when the valve plate is in the said central position. Each of these grooves opens through the front of the plate into a nipple fitting O-P and these respective nipples are connected to the tops of the cans on their corresponding sides, i. e. the nipple O to the top of the can A through the flexible rubber tube O2 and the nipple P to the can B through a similar tube P2.

The valve plate, in addition, is so shaped that when turned a certain amount to one side, it will uncover the port l, and when moved to the other-side will uncover the port 3 of the base plate.

These various grooves and ports are so positioned and constructed that they provide for the valve being operated so that when it is in a central neutral position shown in Figure 1 the vacuum main will be connected to both cans A and B through the top groove N and the respective vacuum ports 1 and 3 in the top of the base plate, and the bottom port 4 closed. W hen the valve plate K is turned to a first position to the left side ot this neutral position, the connection of vacuum with both cans will still be maintained, but at the same time a connection will be opened'up between the can B and the teat cups through the correspondinggroove P in the lower part of the valve p ate and the port 4: in the bottom of (he base plate, so that milking may proceed into such can. The maintenance of the vacuum in the other can A will then allow for the handstrippings ofthe cow that has been previously milked into that can, being introduced through a special valve connection provided for that purpose. Then when this has been finished, the movement of the valve plate to a second position in the saine direction shown in Figures 6, 7 and 9 will 4sluit ol' the connect-ion with vacuum on the can A while maintaining it upon the can B in whichy the milking is being carried out,

and also maintainng'the connection of suchl can with the teat cups. This movement will, however, uncover the port 1 in the base plate connecting with the can A, so that the vacuum therein will he broken down and the milk will fiow out through the discharge valve C beforementioned. (ln the milking of the second cow into can B being finished, the valve is moved in the reverse direction to carry out the same operations with regard to t e can in which such milking has been effected, and with respect to the other can A in which milking is now to be carried on. The movement ofthe valve plate to the limitin each direction may be controlled by the stop pins f fixed to project from the base plate F. The movement to thecentral position and to the rst position on each side may be governed by means of the spring controlled ball S fitted to project through the front of the base plate and to engage properly positioned notches S in the surface of the valve plate. I

The discharge openings C of the two cans are arranged so that the milk flowing therefrom will enter the luming bywhich it will be conveyed to the cans or other receptacles to receive it. This iluming may, if required, be water cooled by a! jacket beneath it and will preferably be covered by a protective lllll maracas covering to prevent contamination of the milk by the surroundings.

Each can is furnished in its bottom with an outlet tap R having a nipple mouth adapted to receive'the end of a rubber tube. This tap is provided for the purpose of allowing the hand strippings of the milked cow being drawn into the can after the machine milking has finished, this operation being effected while the said can is maintained vin its connection with vacuum through the movement of the valve apparatus to the first position to cut the can od from the teat cups. Then when the Whole quantity of milk has been measured by the indication given through the gauge glass, a sample may be withdrawn through the same tap while the milk is being discharged through the movement of the Valve apparatus to the second position described, to admit air to the can. lf desired, the. barrel of this tap may be formed of the enlarged size shown, in order that a measured quantity of milk may be trapped in it and thus allow for a uniform measured sample being obtained at each milking.

1. Apparatus for the purposes herein described consisting in the combination with a Vacuum pipe main and with a teat cup connection, of va pair of airtight cans, and a valve mechanism disposed adjacent to the cans and arranged in communication with the vacuum pipe main and with the teat cup connection and with the respective cans, such valve mechanism being so constructed that it may be operated to connect both cans with the vacuum, to connect either can with the teat cups while maintaining the connec-y spectively connected with the two cans, said l base plate also having a single port in its face that is connected to the teat cups and is positioned diametrically opposite the said central'port, and a Valve late mounted to rotate against the face of t e said base plate and formed on its inner face with a single groove disposed and adapted to extend across the three ports before mentioned, such valve plate being also shaped to expose each of the outer ports of such three ports when moved across to the limit in one direction, and beingformed with a pair of grooves in its inslde surface from which connections lead to the respective cans and which grooves are so disposed that either may be brought over the single port in the base plate, or both be cut o@ therefrom, substantially as specified. v

In testimony whereof, l aix my signature.

JAMES WELFRED FUGE. 

